Nest and stack container



Dec. 2, 1969 E. E. SANDERS NEsT AND STACK CONTAINER Filed May 9, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ELLSWORTH E. SANDERS ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 E. E. SANDERS- NEST AND STACK CONTAINER '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1968 INVENTOR ELLSWORTH E. SANDERS ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 E. E. SANDERS NEST AND STACK CONTAINER 7 Sheets-Sheet S Filed May 9, 1968 w mm 8 F|G.5 INVENTOR 50 4* y ELLswoRTH E. SANDERS By j ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 E. E. SANDERS 3,481,507

NEST AND STACK CONTAINER Filed May 9, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 II/WW\ INVENTOR ELLSWORTH E. SANDERS ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 E. E. SANDERS 3,481,507

NEST AND STACK CONTAINER Filed May 9, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1969 E. E. SANDERS 3,481,507

NEST AND STACK CONTAINER Filed May 9, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 lol |03 INVENTOR ELLSWORTH E. SANDERS l BY wml ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, '1969 E. E. SANDERS NEST AND STACK CONTAINER 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 9, 1968 INVENTORv ELLSWORTH E. SANDERS BY M ATTORNEYS United States Patent O M 3,481,507 NEST AND STACK CONTAINER Ellsworth E. Sanders, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Pinckney Molded Plastics, Inc., Pinckney, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 9, 1968, Ser. No. 727,777 Int. Cl. B65d 21/02; A47f `3/14 U.S. Cl. 220-97 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of the invention is to provide a nest and stack container having improved load bearing characteristics when stacked with other containers of like construction.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a nest and stack container having stacking support members disposed in a vertical plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall construction having inclined stacking support bars disposed in a vertical plane and provided with saddles at the upper ends of the bars and feet at the lower ends of the bars adapted to stack upon the saddles of a lower container of identical construction when turned with respect thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide complementary locking means on the feet and saddles, the locking means of the feet being adapted to engage the locking means on the saddles of a lower container of identical construction during stacking to prevent laterally outward separation of the feet from the saddles on which they rest.

Another object of the invention is to provide-a nest and stack container which utilizes a maximum amount of its interior space for the reception of the articles to be carried.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a nest and 'stack container constructed in accordance with my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 in FIGURES 3 and 4.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view with parts in section showing three containers of identical construction with the top container nesting in the middle container and the middle container stacked on the bottom container. The top container is similarly oriented with respect to the middle container, and the middle container is turned 90 with respect to the bottom container.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view, with parts in section, of the three containers shown in FIGURE 2 as seen from another side.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a modified container.

FIGURES 7 and 8 are respectively inside and outside fragmentary perspective views of one corner construction of the container of FIGURE 6.

FIGURES 9 and 10 are respectively inside and outside 3,481,507 Patented Dec. 2, 1969 fragmentary perspective views of another corner construction.

FIGURE 11 is an end elevational view with parts in section showing three containers of identical construction with the top container nesting in the middle container and the middle container stacked on the bottom container. The top and middle containers are similarly oriented, and the middle container is turned with respect to the bottom container.

FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view of the three containers shown in FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken on the line 13-13 in FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken on the line 14-14 in FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view showing two stacked containers of still another construction, the containers being reversed end to end with respect to each other.

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view showing the containers of FIGURE 15 in nested relation.

FIGURES 17, 18 and 19 are fragmentary corner perspectives of the containers shown in FIGURES 15 and 16.

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of FIGURE l5 with parts in section.

FIGURE 2l is a fragmentary sectional view of another portion of the structure in FIGURE 15.

FIGURE 22 is a sectional view taken on the line 22-22 in FIGURE 15.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and especially to FIGURES 1-5, the containers are of square form and generally designated by the numeral 10. All of the containers shown in the several views are of identical construction.

The container 10 has a square bottom 12, side walls 14, 16, 18 and 20 extending upwardly from the bottom, and a border frame or rim 22 around the upper open end of the container.

The bottom 12 includes a flat square horizontal bottom wall 24 and a square border flange 26 extending vertically upwardly from the margin of the bottom wall. The border flange 26 also extends downwardly a short distance beneath the bottom wall 24.

The side walls 14-20 extend vertically upwardly from the bottom wall 24, that is they are disposed at right angles to the bottom wall. The side wall 14 is formed of a series of laterally spaced bars 28 successively inclined in opposite directions and connected end to end to provide the alternate V and inverted V form shown. The bars may be integrally connected to one another and together form the letter W. The upper ends of the bars 28 provide ilat horizontal surfaces or saddles 30. The middle saddle 30 provided at the connected ends of two bars has an in- 'tegral upwardly extending locking projection 32 formed with dovetail sides 34 Vwhich diverge in an inward direction relative to the container. The lower connected ends of the bars 28 have flat horizontal surfaces or feet 36. Each foot is formed with a locking recess 38 of complementary form to the locking projections 32, having dovetail sides 40 which diverge inwardly relative to the conainer.

The inner surfaces of the lower ends of the bars 28 are permanently secured to the outer surface of the border flange 26 of bottom 12, and the outer surfaces of the upper ends of the bars 28 are permanently secured to the inner surface of the rim 22.

The opposite side wall 16 is identical to the side Wall 14 and accordingly the same reference numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts.

Side wall 18 is formed of a series of laterally spaced bars 41 successively inclined in opposite directions and connected end to end to provide an alternate V and inverted V form. These bars may be integrally connected at their ends and together form the letter M. The upper connected ends of the bars provide flat horizontal surfaces or saddles 42. Each saddle has an upwardly extending locking projection 44 formed with dovetail sides 46 which diverge inwardly with respect to the container. The lower ends of the bars have flat horizontal surfaces or feet 48. The middle foot 48 provided at the connected ends of two bars has a locking recess 50 complementary to the locking projections 44 formed with dovetail sides 52 diverging inwardly with respect to the container.

The inner surfaces of the lower ends of the bars 41 are permanently secured to the outer surface of the border ange 26 of the bottom 12, and the outer surfaces of theI upper ends of the bars are permanently secured to the inner surface of the rim 22.

The opposite side wall 20 is identical to side wall 18 and accordingly the same reference numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts'.

The lower edge of the rim 22 has downwardly extending horizontal corner abutment surfaces 54 which are disposed in a common plane.

All of the saddles 30 and 42 are disposed in a common horizontal plane beneath the upper horizontal edge of the rim 22. All of the feet 36 and 48 are disposed in a common horizontal plane above the lower horizontal edge of the border ange 26 of the bottom. All of the locking projections 32 and 44 are of identical form and all of the locking recesses 38 and 50 are of complementary form to the locking projections and therefore capable of receiving the same.

The spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of opposed side walls 14 and 16 are the same as the spacing and lateral placement of the feet of the opposed side walls 18 and 20. The spacing and lateral placement of the feet of the side lwalls 14 and 16 are the same as the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of the side walls 18 and 20.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, it is evident how two containers of like construction nest with one another. As shown in FIGURE 3, the side wall 18 or 20 of an upper container nesting with a similarly oriented lower container has the M bar form thereof fitting directly downwardly into the M bar form of the wall 18 or 20 of the lower container with the bars respectivley in parallel relation to one another. Likewise the =wall 14 or 16 of the upper container fits directly downwardly into the same wall form of the lower container for nesting, with the bars respectively parallel to one another although these bars are of the W wall form. During nesting, the abutment surfaces 54 at the corners of the rim 22 of the upper container rest upon the horizontal edge of the rim 22 of the lower container. The side walls of the container as already noted are vertical, but nesting is still permitted by reason of the particular form of the container enabling the bars of the side walls to it downward directly into the recesses formed between bars of the lower container by the unique wall construction.

During stacking, that is when one container is turned 90 with respect to the other, the feet at the lower ends of the bars of the upper container respectively rest upon the saddles at the upper en-ds of the bars of the lower container. Those feet which have locking recesses 38, S interlock with locking projections 32, 44 of the supporting saddles as shown in FIGURE 5. As a result, lateral separation of the feet and saddles is prevented. Should a handler grasp the rim of the lower one of two stacked containers to pull it across the oor, the interlock will prevent the saddle and foot engagement from separating. Without the interlock there would be the possibility of the upper container falling from its stacked position into the lower container.

When stacked, the lower end of the upper container iits down in the rim 22 of the lower container and is thus laterally confined and located.

The container may be formed of any suitable material, such, for example, as polyethylene or polypropylene.

It will be understood that if instead of opposite walls being of identical construction, the container were modified so that adjacent walls (for example walls 14 and 18) were of the identical W form and the other adjacent walls (for example walls 16 and 20) were of the identical M form, then one container would be turned 180 relative to the other for stacking, rather than as with the specific construction shown in the drawings. In this modied construction, the container although rectangular would not necessarily need to be square and thus either pair of opposed walls could be longer than the other.

FIGURES 6-14 illustrate a modified nest and stack container 70 having a rectangular bottom 72, side walls 74 and 76 and end walls 78 and 80 extending upwardly from the bottom, and a border frame or rim 82 around the upper end of the container. The bottom 72 includes a substantially at horizontal rectangular bottom wall 84 and a rectangular border flange 86 extending vertically upwardly from the margin of the bottom wall.

The side wall 74 includes the inclined substantially parallel bars 88 and 90- disposed in a common vertical plane. The lower ends of the bars 88 and 90 are permanently secured to the outer surface of the border flange 86 of bottom 72, and the upper ends of the bars 88 and 90 are permanently secured to the inner surface of the rim 82. The upper ends of the bars 88 and 90 terminate in horizontal extensions 92 and 93, the outer edges of the upper portions of which are recessed to provide saddles 94 and 95 outwardly of the recesses. The upper edges of the saddles 94 and 95 are substantially horizontal. The lower ends of the bars 88 and 90 terminate in horizontal extensions 96 and 97, the inner edges of the lower portions of which are recessed to provide channel-shaped feet 98 and 99. The bases of feet 98 and 99 are substantially horizontal and the sides thereof are -dened by the lower edge portion of the border ange 86 and the anges 100 and 101 of the lower portions of the extensions 96 and 97. The end of extension 97 has a transverse wall 103 closing the end of foot 99.

The side 74 also includes a central panel 102 the lower portion of which is integrally connected to the border flange 86 and the outer surface of the upper portion of which is permanently secured to the rim 82. The panel 102 ares outwardly in an upward direction.

The opposite side wall 76 is somewhat similar in construction to the side wall 74, having the substantially parallel bars 104 and 106 which are disposed in a common vertical plane but which are inclined oppositely in relation to the bars 88 and 90 of side wall 74 as is apparent in FIGURE 12. The lower ends of the bars 104 and 106 are permanently secured to the outer surface of the border flange 86, and the upper ends of the bars are permanently secured to the inner surface of the rim 82. The upper ends of the bars 104 and 106 terminate in horizontal extensions 108 and 110, the outer edges of the upper portions of which are recessed to provide saddles 112 and 114 outwardly of the recesses. The upper edges of the saddles 112 and 114 are substantially horizontal. The lower ends of the bars 104 and 106 terminate in horizontal extensions 116 and 118, the inner edges of the lower portions of which are recessed to provide channel-shaped feet 120 and 122. The bases of feet 120 and 122 are substantially horizontal and the sides thereof are defined by the lower edge portion of the border flange 86 and the flanges 124 and 126 of the lower portions of extensions 116 and 118. The end of the extension 118 has a transverse wall 128 closing the end of the channel-shaped foot 122.

The side wall 76 also includes a central panel 130 the lower portion of which is integrally connected to the border ange 86 and the outer surface of the upper portion of which is permanently secured to the rim 82. The panel 130 ares outwardly in an upward direction.

The end wall 78 includes the two oppositely inclined bars 132 and 134 which are disposed in a common vertical plane. The lower ends of the bars 132 and 134 are permanently secured to the outer surface of the border flange 86, and the upper ends of the bars are permanently secured to the inner surface of the rim 82. The upper ends of the bars 132 and 134 terminate in horizontal extensions 136 and 138, the outer edges of the upper portions of which are recessed to provide saddles 140 and 142. The upper edges of the saddles are substantially horizontal. The lower ends of the bars 132 and 134 terminate in horizontal extensions 144 an-d 146, the inner edges of the lower portions of which are recessed to provide channel-shaped feet 148 and 150. The bases of feet 148 and 150 are substantially horizontal and the sides thereof are defined by the lower edge portion of the border flange 86 and the anges 152 and 154 of the lower portions of the extensions 144 and 146.

The end wall 78 also includes the central panel 156 the lower portion of which is integrally connected to the border ange 86 and the outer surface of the upper portion of which is permanently secured to the r-im 82. The panel 156 ares outwardly in an upward direction.

The opposite end wall 80 is somewhat similar in construction to the end wall 78, except that the bars 158 and 160 thereof are oppositel-y inclined to the bars of end wall 78 as will be apparent in FIGURE l1. The bars 158 and 160 are disposed in a common vertical plane and their upper ends terminate in horizontal extensions 162 and 164 which are recessed in the outer edges of the upper portions to provide saddles 166 and 168 outwardly of the recesses, the upper edges of the sadd-les being substantially horizontal. The lower ends of the bars 158 and -160 terminate in horizontal extensions 170 and 172 the inner edges of the lower portions of which are recessed to provide channel-shaped feet 174 Iand 1716. The bases of the feet are substantially horizontal and the sides thereof are dened by the lower edge portion of the border flange 86 and the anges 178 and 180 of the portions of the extensions 170 and 172. The ends of extensions 170 and 172 have transverse walls 173 and 175 closing the end of the feet 174 and 176. The extensions 170 and 172 are permanently secured to the border flange 86 and extensions 162 and I164 are permanently secured to rim 82.

The end wall 80 also includes a centr-al panel 182 the lower portion/of which is integral-ly connected to the border ange 86 and the outer surface of the upper portion of which is permanently secured to the rim "82. The panel 182 flares outwardly in an upward direction.

Referring to FIGURES 9 and 10, the extension 93 at the upper end of bar 90 is integrally connected to the extension 164 at the upper end of bar 160 at the corner B of the container, and the saddles 95 and 168 are likewise integrally -connected to provide `an inverted V- form. Referring to FIGURES 7 and 8, the extension 96 at the lower end of -bar 88 is integrally connected to the extension 144 at the lower end of bar 1 32, and the [feet 98 and 148 are similarly integrally connected so that the bars 88 and 132 provide a V-form at the corner A of the container.

It -will be understood that the connection of the bars 104 and `134 at corner D is the same as at corner A and that the connections between the bars 106 and 158-at corner C is the same as at corner B. In other words, the extension 116 of the bar .104 is integrally connected to the extension 146 of bar 134, and their feet 120 and 150 are likewise integrally connected to provide a V-form at the corner D, and the extensions 110 and 162 of bars 106 and 158, as well as the saddles 114 and 166 thereof are integrally connected to provide an inverted V-form at the corner C. Since the formation of the bars including all portions thereof as well as their interconnection at the corners C and D is the same as at corners B and A respectively, there is no need for further illustration of the corners C and D.

Referring to the flanges 100, 101, 124, 126, 152, 154, 178, 180 and the transverse walls 103, 128, 173 and 175, these edges provide locking projections preventing `an upper container from shifting horizontally when reversed end for end and stacked -upon a lower container with its feet engaging the saddles of the lower container, as more fully described hereinafter.

The upper edges of all of the saddles 94, 95, 112, 114, 140, 142, 166 and 168 are disposed ina common horizontal Aplane substantially level with the upper horizontal edge of/the rim 82. The bases of all of the feet 98, 99, 120, 122, 148, 150, 174 and 176 are disposed in a com-mon horizontal plane above the lower horizontal edge of the border flange 86.

The spacing and llateral placement of the saddles 94 and 95 associated -with side wall 74 are the same as the spacing and lateral placement of the feet 120 and 122 associated with the opposed side wall 76. The spacnig and lateral placement of the feet 98 and 99 associated with the side wall 74 are the same as the spacing and `lateral placement of the saddles 112 and 114 associated with the opposed side wall 76. The spacing and lateral placement of the saddles 140 and 142 associated with the end w-all 78 are the same as the spacing and lateral placement of the feet 174 and 176 associated with the opposed end wall 80. The spacing and lateral placement of the feet 148 and 150 associated lwith the end Wall 78 are the same as the spacing and l-ateral placement of the saddles 166 and 168 associated with the opposed end wall 80.

Referring to FIGURES l1 and l2, it is clear how two containers nest with one another. As `shown in FIG- URE 12, the side wall 74 of two similarly oriented containers nest with the bars therof in the same vertical pl-ane in parallel nested relation and with the extensions at the lower ends of the bars of the upper container resting upon the extensions at the lower ends of the bars of the lower container. It will be clear that the opposite two lside walls 76 of two similarly oriented cont-ainers Iwill likewise nest with the bars thereof in the same vertical plane in parallel nested relation and with the extensions at the lower ends of the bars of the upper container restin-g upon the extensions at the lower ends of the bars of the lower container.

As seen in FIGURE l1, the two end walls 78 `of similarly oriented containers nest in the sarne manner as the side walls, that is with the bars thereof in the same vertical plane in parallel nested relation and with the extensions at the lower ends of the bars o-f the two containers restmg upon one another. It will be clear that the two end w-alls 80 of similarly oriented containers will nest in the same manner. It will of course be understood that during nesting of similarly oriented containers the central panels of the walls will nest with one another because of the aring nature of the panels. The containers are nested by lowering the upper container into the lower container -with a direct vertical movement.

The containers 70 may be stacked on one another by reversing the upper container end for end, or 180, with respect to the lower container and then lowering the upper container with a direct vertical movement. When thus stacked, the feet 98, 99, and 122 associated with the side walls 74 and 76 will respectively seat upon the saddles 114, 112, 95, 94 associated with the side walls 76 and 74, and likewise the feet 148, 150, 174, 176 associated with the end walls 78 and 80 will respectively seat upon the saddles 166, 168, 140, 142 associated with the end walls 80 and 78. The bases of the feet rest upon the upper horizontal edges of the saddles and the locking anges100, 101, 124, 126, 152, 154, associated with the feet engage over and extend along the outer sides of the saddles to lock the upper stacked container against horizontal movement with respect to the lower container. Likewise the transverse walls 103, 128, 173 and 175 engage the ends of the saddles to prevent horizontal movement of the stacked container.

FIGURES 15-22 illustrate a further modified container 200. This container has a rectangular bottom 202, side walls 204 and 205 and a rear end wall 206 extending upwardly from the bottom, and a border frame or rim 208 around the upper edges of the sides and end wall. The front of the container is open. The bottom 202 includes a substantially flat horizontal rectangular bottom wall 210 and a rectangular border flange 212 extending vertically upwardly from the margin of the bottom wall and also extending slightly below the plane of the bottom wall.

The side wall 204 includes the inclined substantially parallel bars 214 and 216 disposed in a common vertical plane. The lower ends of the bars 214 and 216 are permanently secured to the outer surface of the border ange 212 of bottom 202, and the upper ends of the bars are permanently secured to the inner surface of rim 208. The upper ends of bars 214 and 216 terminate in horizontal extensions 218 and 220, the outer edges of the upper portions of which are recessed to provide saddles 222 and 224 outwardly of the recesses. The front end of the recess 224 is closed by wall 225. The upper edges of the saddles are substantially horizontal. The lower ends of the bars terminate in horizontal extensions 226 and 228 the inner edges of the lower portions of which are recessed to provide channel-shaped feet 230 and 232. The bases of feet 230 and 232 are substantially horizontal and the sides thereof are dened by the lower edge portion of the border flange 212 and the flanges 234 and 236 of the lower portions of the extensions 226 and 228. The end of the extension 226 has a transverse wall 238 closing the end of foot 230. The wall portion 240 of border ange 212 along the front open end of the corner is recessed along its inner surface to provide a foot 233 connected to and extending across the front end of foot 232 to close the latter. It will be noted in FIGURE 19 that the front end of the lower edge portion of the border ange 212 along the side wall 204 of the container terminates short of the front wall of the border ange so that feet 232 and 233 are contiguous.

Side wall 204 also has a third bar 246 which is inclined oppositely to the bars 214 and 216 but is disposed in the plane of the latter bars. The upper end of bar 246 is integrally connected to the extension 220 at the upper end of bar 216 to provide a substantially inverted V-form. The lower end of this bar 246 is permanently secured to the outer surface of the border flange 212. The side wall 204 also includes a central panel 248 the lower portion of which is integrally connected to the border ange 212 and the outer surface of the upper portion of which is permanently secured to rim 208. The panel 248 tlares outwardly in an upward direction.

The opposite side wall 205 is a mirror image of the side wall 204 and for convenience corresponding portions of the two walls will be identified by the same reference numerals.

The rear end wall 206 includes the two oppositely inclined bars 250 and 252 which are disposed in a common vertical plane. The lower ends of the bars 250 and 252 are permanently secured to the outer surface of the border flange 212, and the upper ends of the -bars are permanently secured to the inner surface of the rim 208. The upper ends of the bars 250 and 252 terminate in horizontal extensions 254 and 256, the outer edges of the upper portions of which are recessed to provide saddles 258 and 260. The upper edges of the saddles are substantially horizontal.

The rear end wall 206 also includes the central panel 262 the lower portion of which is integrally connected to the border flange 212 and the outer surface of the upper portion of which is permanently secured to the rim 208. The panel 262 ares outwardly in an upward direction.

The front end of the container s open and the upper edge of the front wall portion 240 of the border flange 212 is of reduced height for more convenient access to the contents of the container. It will be understood that this front wall portion 240 has a foot adjacent side wall 205 similar to foot 233 which connects with the foot 232 of side wall 205 in the same manner as foot 233 connects in FIGURE 19 with foot 232 of side wall 204.

The extensions 218 at the upper ends of the bars 214 of the two side walls 204 and 205 are integrally connected to the extensions 254 and 256 at the upper ends of the bars 250 and 252 at the two rear corners of the container, so that the bars at these corners provide an inverted V-form. The saddles 222, 258 and 222, 260 are also integrally connected in continuation of one another.

Referring to the flanges 234, 236 and the transverse walls 238, these edges associated with the feet of the container provide locking projections for preventing an upper container from shifting horizontally when reversed end for end and stacked upon a lower container with its feet engaging the saddles of the lower container, as more fully described hereinafter.

The upper edges of all of the saddles 222, 224, 258 and 260 are disposed in a common horizontal plane substantially level with the upper horizontal edge of the rim 208. The bases of all of the feet 230, 232, 233 are disposed in a common horizontal plane above the lower horizontal edge of the border flange 212.

The spacing and lateral placement of the saddles associated with side wall 204 are the same as the spacing and lateral placement of the feet associated with the opposed side wall 205. The spacing and lateral placement of the feet associated with the side wall 204 are the same as the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles associated with the opposed side wall 205. The spacing and lateral placement of the saddles 258, 260 associated with the rear end wall 206 are the same as the spacing and lateral placement of the feet 233 associated with the front end of the container.

Referring to FIGURE 16, it is clear how two containers 200 nest with one another. The side walls of two similarly oriented containers nest with the bars thereof in the same vertical plane in parallel nested relation and with the rim of the upper container `substantially engaging and resting upon the rim of the lower container. In this connection, the extensions 220 yhave depending ribs 280 which fit into the saddles 224 of the lower container. The transverse walls 225 at front ends of these saddles cooperate with ribs 280 in preventing forward shift of the nested container. The two end walls 206 of two similarly oriented containers will likewise nest with the bars thereof in the same vertical plane in parallel nested relation. Of course the central panels of the walls nest with one another because of the aring nature of the panels. The containers are nested by lowering the upper container into the lower container with a direct vertical movement.

The containers may be stacked upon one another by reversing the upper container end for end, that is with respect to the lower container and then lowering the upper container with a direct vertical movement. When thus stacked as viewed in FIGURE l5, the feet associated with the side walls 204 and 205 will respectively seat upon the saddles associated with the side lwalls 205 and 204. Likewise the feet 233 associated with the front end of the container will seat upon the saddles 258, 260 associated with the rear end vwall 206. The bases of the feet rest upon the upper horizontal edges of the saddles and the locking anges 234 and 236 associated with the feet engage over and extend in the recesses along the outer sides of the saddles to lock the upper stacking container against horizontal movement with respect to the lower container. Likewise the transverse walls 238 and 233 engage the ends of the saddles to prevent horizontal movement of the stacked container.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A nesting and stacking container comprising a generally rectangular, horizontal bottom, rst and second walls projecting upwardly from said bottom, said walls each including a plurality of inclined 'bars disposed in vertical planes with the bars of said first wall being inclined oppositely to the bars of said second wall, where- Iby said container will nest with another similarly oriented container of identical construction, said container having stacking means for supporting the same in stacked relation upon a lower container of identical construction when turned with respect thereto so as to align said first and second walls thereof respectively with the second and first walls of the lower container, said stacking means comprising feet on the lower ends of said bars and saddles lon the upper ends of said bars, the spacing and lateral placement of the feet of said first wall corresponding to the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of said second wall and the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of said first wall corresponding to the spacing and lateral placement of the feet of said second wall lwhereby said feet are adapted to rest upon the -saddles of a lower container of identical construction when stacked therewith as aforesaid.

2. A nesting and stacking container comprising a generally rectangular horizontal bottom, first, second, third and fourth walls respectively extending upwardly from the edges of said bottom, said walls each including a plurality of inclined bars disposed in vertical planes with the bars of said first wall being inclined oppositely to the bars of said second wall and the bars of said third wall being inclined oppositely to the bars of said fourth wall, whereby said container will nest with another similarly oriented container of identical construction, said container having stacking means for supporting the same in stacked relation upon a lower container of identical construction when turned with respect thereto so that the first and second walls of the two containers and the third and fourth walls of the two containers are respectively in register, said stacking means comprising feet on the lower ends of said bars and saddles on the upper ends of said bars, the spacing and lateral placement of the feet of said first and third walls respectively corresponding to the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of said second and fourth walls and the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of said first and third walls respectively corresponding to the spacing and lateral placement of the feet of said second and fourth walls, whereby said feet are adapted to stack upon the saddles f a lower container of identical construction when stacked therewith as aforesaid.

3. The container defined in claim 2, wherein said edges of said bottom wall are secured to the inner surfaces of said bars.

4. The container defined in claim 2, wherein a border frame surrounds and is secured to the upper end portions of said bars.

5. The container defined in claim 4, wherein said border frame is adapted to rest upon the border frame of a similarly oriented lower container of identical construction during nesting.

6. The container defined in claim 2, wherein said container is square, and said first and third walls are opposite one another and said second and fourth walls are 0pposite one another.

7. The container defined in claim 2, wherein said first and second walls are opposite one another yand said third and fourth walls are opposite one another.

8. The container defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second walls are disposed at opposite edges of said bottom, said container has a third wall extending upwardly from a third edge of said bottom, said third wall including inclined bars disposed in vertical planes and connected at their upper ends to bars of said first and second walls at two corners of said container, said connected bars being of inverted V form, saddles on the upper ends of said bars of said third wall contiguous with the saddles on the upper ends of the bars to lwhich said bars of said third wall are connected, and feet on said container adapted to rest on the saddles on the upper ends of the bars of the third wall of another container of identical construction when stacked therewith as aforesaid.

9. The container defined in clam 2, wherein certain of said bars are adjacent the four corners of said container, said corner bars of each wall being connected end to end with corner bars of the adjacent walls.

10. A nesting and stacking container comprising a generally rectangular, horizontal bottom, first, second, third and fourth walls respectively extending upwardly from the edges of lsaid bottom, said walls each including a plurality of inclined bars disposed in vertical planes and successively inclined in opposite directions and connected end to end to provide an alternate V and inverted V form, the bars of said first and third walls being inclined oppositely to the bars of said second and fourth walls, the arrangement, inclination and location of the bars of said first and third walls being substantially the same and of said second and fourth walls being substantially the same, whereby said container will nest with another similarly oriented container of identical construction, said container having stacking means for supporting the same in stacked relation upon a lower container of identical construction when turned with respect thereto so that the first and second walls of the two containers and the third and fourth Walls of the two containers are respectively in register, said stacking means comprising saddles on the upper ends of said bars and feet on the lower ends of said bars, the spacing and lateral placement of the feet of said first and third walls respectively corresponding to the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of said second and fourth walls and the spacing and lateral placement of the saddles of said first and third walls respectively corresponding to the spacing and lateral placement of the feet of said second and fourth walls, whereby said feet are adapted to stack upon the saddles of a lower container of identical construction when stacked therewith as aforesaid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,100,582 8/ 1963 Lockwood 220-97 3,219,232 11/ 1965 Wilson 220-97 3,270,913 9/1966 Bridenstine 220-97 3,403,788 10/ 1968 Kreeger 220-97 X 3,405,810 10/1968 Rogus 211-126 GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

